Joe Leonard Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Joseph James Leonard
Born 08/26/1988 in Dawson, PA
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Pittsburgh
Drafted in the 3rd round (101st overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2010 (signed for $324,900).

View Draft Report

Leonard's father, John, was a first-round pick of the Orioles in 1982, and Joe stepped into Pitt's starting lineup as a freshman. After two solid seasons, Leonard exploded as a junior this spring, hitting .452/.507/.719 with eight homers and 60 RBIs though 199 at-bats. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Leonard has below-average game power currently, but he has shown good pop with wood bats in batting practice and projects for average power if he can add loft to his flat swing. His swing is long, making him vulnerable against good fastballs on the inner half, but he has good bat speed and feel for hitting, so he barrels up balls consistently. He projects as an average hitter. Leonard also reaches 92-93 mph off the mound as Pitt's closer, and his arm is above-average at third base. He is not a finished product defensively but has good feet and solid instincts, and he projects as a solid-average defender. He is a below-average runner but not a clogger. Leonard projects as a second- to third-round pick.

Top Rankings

Leonard played a major role in one of the best seasons in Pittsburgh baseball history in 2010. The Panthers had a school-record 11-game winning streak and appeared in Baseball America's Top 25 poll for the first time in the program's history, while Leonard batted .436/.492/.678, saved a school-record eight games and was the Big East Conference player of the year. When the Braves picked him in the third round, it was the highest a Pitt player had been drafted since 1985. His father John was a righthander drafted six times from 1979-82. Signed for $324,900, Leonard has solid all-around skills. While his swing tends to get long, he has good bat speed and puts the barrel on the ball with consistency. He's adept at hitting to the opposite field. Atlanta believes he'll hit for at least average power as he learns to pull pitches and add loft to his flat swing. Though he's a below-average runner, Leonard's feet work well at third base. He has good instincts and a plus arm that delivered low-90s fastballs off the mound. He struggled with a sore elbow late in his pro debut and during instructional league, but he should be fine next spring. Leonard likely will open his first full pro season in high Class A.